BEREA -- A Berea senior citizen contacted the Better Business Bureau saying she was duped and lost $5,500 in a phone call scam.

The woman told BBB the caller claimed she won $1 million in the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. She was told to obtain Green Dot MoneyPak cards totaling $1,500 to pay federal taxes required to receive her prize.

She followed the instructions and gave the caller the serial numbers from the cards. The caller then claimed $4,000 more was needed to cover the costs of the state troopers who would deliver her $1 million prize. She was told a BBB representative would accompany the state troopers.

Even checking the clearinghouse website seemed to support the caller since he claimed to be one of its officers whose name was listed online.

The woman bought the cards and gave the caller the serial numbers. However, the woman realized it was a scam when the caller asked for $7,995 more and she was told to “borrow” the money if she did not have it.

“Seniors and those who are cash-strapped are particularly vulnerable to telemarketing scams,” said David Weiss, president of BBB serving Greater Cleveland. “We’ve seen an increase in the use of MoneyPak cards by criminals to get quick cash from unsuspecting victims.”

The BBB reminds consumers the Telemarketing Sales Rule requires telemarketers to say they don’t have to pay a fee or buy something to win a prize or participate in a prized promotion.

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